World No.4 Xander Schauffele picked up his first win since the 2024 Open Championship at the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic on Sunday after holding off Max Greyserman by a shot.
Birdies at the 14th and 17th from Schauffele negated Greyserman’s gain at the 72nd hole and ensured the Ryder Cup player was able to stand in the winner’s circle for the 10th time on the PGA Tour at the end of an underwhelming year on the course.
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Reacting to his win immediately after, Schauffele said: “I was confident, [but] definitely had doubts. I think every player in any sport, at some point in time you feel like you’re on top of the world and then you feel like, not that you’ve lost it but you feel less confident.
“I have a really good team around me, they pick me up when I’m down. You know, this is really special for me. Sooner than I thought, to be fair. I was running out of events in 2025 to sort of put my mark on it. I’m sure when I look back on 2025 at the end of my career I’ll smile and think it was a great year.”
Rounds of 71, 63 and 67 – reversed by Greyserman through the week – helped Schauffele pull alongside the 30-year-old with 18 holes to play and left him as favorite to go on and complete the job against the New Jersey-born pro who is still looking for his maiden PGA Tour success.
Both leading players made the turn in 33 thanks to four birdies and a bogey before Schauffele hit the front once again via a gain at the 10th.
Although Greyserman chained together consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th, Schauffele re-established his lead with two birdies in a row at the 13th and 14th.
As the chaser desperately hunted answers, Schauffele – whose grandparents are Japanese – appeared to put a bow on a highly meaningful victory with a final gain at the penultimate hole.
However, Greyserman almost spoilt the party courtesy of a superb approach from 182 yards in which his ball came to rest inches from the hole.
Inches from forcing a playoff 👀Max Greyserman nearly holed out from 182 yards on the final hole @Baycurrent_Clsc. pic.twitter.com/XfgVdEupsQOctober 12, 2025
Knowing a par would be enough to close it out, Schauffele completed his task with the minimum of fuss and celebrated with his 81-year-old grandmother, who had walked the entire final round with him.
Post-round, Schauffele called the success “very satisfying” and admitted he was grateful for having experienced winning on the PGA Tour previously as he looked to close it out against Greyserman and third-placed Michael Thorbjornsen (-16).
Asked if he felt his nine other PGA Tour wins played a part in gaining his 10th, Schauffele said: “I think so. I mean I was plenty nervous. It’s been over a year since I was even looking at winning a golf tournament.
“I was probably just as nervous or more nervous as they were just because I knew I’ve done it before and I had to dig kind of deep in my memory to do it again.
A special post-round hug from Xander’s 81-year-old grandmother, who walked all 18 holes with him today @Baycurrent_Clsc. pic.twitter.com/S1NPnj0UwvOctober 12, 2025
“Max and Michael played very solid golf. We were neck and neck through 15, 16 holes, then Max almost holed out on the last hole. It was a very satisfying win because they’re great players.”
Behind Thorbjornsen in solo third were five players in T4th. Japan’s Takumi Kanaya carded a scintillating 62 to clinch the best final round among the group, while Rico Hoey, Alex Smalley, Byeong Hun An and Garrick Higgo all shot in the low to mid-60s as well.
Outside of the top-10, in which defending champion Nico Echavarria ended solo ninth, Matt McCarty was on 59 watch courtesy of an outrageous round at Yokohama Country Club.
Matt McCarty almost shot in the 50s at the Baycurrent Classic
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The American began on the back nine and made the turn in 31 thanks to four birdies. But it was on the front nine where he simply could do no wrong… right up until the final hole of his day.
An extraordinary run of eight consecutive birdies put 59 on high alert – with 58 the reward via a closing birdie – but McCarty saw his chances all but ended after finding the penalty area off the tee at the ninth. He managed to recover for a bogey, but it was one shot too many and he signed for an 11-under-par round of 60.
Trying to make sense of what had happened to him on the final hole, McCarty said: “Yeah, I don’t know, just a little tight and just kind of tried to guide it a little too much and just wiped it.
“I thought I kind of had a chance around the corner but obviously probably hit one of those trees and kicked left. Yeah, tough finish to a really good day.”
“One bad swing from a 58.”Needing a birdie on his final hole of the day for a 58, Matt McCarty’s drive went OB. He still saved bogey for a career-best 60 @Baycurrent_Clsc. pic.twitter.com/RGvwL46wToOctober 12, 2025
Later asked what was going through his mind stood on the ninth tee box, McCarty said: “I don’t know. It’s actually… I feel like similar to being in contention obviously, just kind of the same thing. Yeah, just kind of tried to guide one and came out of it and shoved it in the trees.
“It’s weird to like play that well and feel like that walking off the golf course. Yeah, one bad swing, one swing away from a 58 honestly, so tough. Yeah, yeah, a good day obviously.”
The PGA Tour will now take a week off before returning with the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort between October 23-26.
